Lord Prescott has called for the Humber to be made a ‘place for growth’ in the Government’s Industrial Strategy, describing it as the ‘ideal’ choice.

The passionate advocate for the region used a special showcase event as part of London International Shipping Week to flag up the role the estuary could play.

Backed up with statistics and case studies by the container load, the former Deputy Prime Minister stressed the vital links with Europe it provided, while championing the renewables push.

He said: “We must concentrate on the Humber. Government has delivered its Industrial Strategy, and I am really rather pleased we are talking strategy. The Humber is already developing as an Energy Estuary, that’s quite an important development.

“We also have the traditional role in trade and fishing, and it is very important, hugely significant, to convince the Government – and make sure we contribute to the studies underway – about how we make the Humber one of the places of growth. The Government wants to identify places of growth, the Humber is the ideal one.

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“Wind power has brought a fundamental change to the character of the Humber. It is an energy area, and that should help choose the Humber as a place of growth. Energy opens up the wider low carbon agenda.

“The changes required are going to need a great deal more power. That means wind power - now much cheaper than nuclear. With this Energy Estuary we need to be continuing, building low carbon industry development in the supply chain, we have to continue our plans to develop.”

Mark O'Reilly of Team Humber Maritime Alliance is also part of the showcase in London

Underlining battery storage and other emerging technologies, the one-time Shipping Minister also focused on the South Bank’s land potential too.

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He said: “The reason why we built the Humber Bridge was to unite the only estuary in Britain that wasn’t developed on both banks of the river. The connections and investments in the future on the South Bank mean the Humber is growing with greater potential.

“The local authorities of Lincolnshire and Yorkshire have come together on one basis, to develop the Humber, whatever the agreement on northern devolution. They have complete unity of purpose.”

More than 100 delegates attended the Humber Maritime Showcase event in the heart of the City of London, with inward investors rubbing shoulders with stakeholders from the area.

Humber Local Enterprise Partnership chief executive Kishor Tailor told how unemployment was down to a 42-year low, while GVA was up £3.5 billion in the past five years. He said: “Things are happening; the Humber is on the radar, we are ready, and ready to help with development.”

The event was hosted by Team Humber Marine Alliance, with Maritime UK chairman David Dingle CBE a key guest, within The Willis Building.